DVDDAD said:
Why do you think that E* will have to eat them? Did they put a promise in writing that the 942s are guaranteed to receive all HD channels for the next 5 years?
Dish 942 Lease
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Why do you think that E* will have to eat them? Did they put a promise in writing that the 942s are guaranteed to receive all HD channels for the next 5 years?
After much thought, I emailed ceo@dishnetwork.com yesterday asking about the 250 lease deal. Today they called back, unfortunately I wasn't home, but the rep did say that we would be eligible for the 942 lease with the 250 up-front payment.
I've always "owned" Dish equipment...but in this case makes more sense for me to lease if I want HDTV. I'll sell my 721 and 811 on eBay, and pay the $10/month for the DVR and lease fee... it would take, in my case, something like 80 months to just break even if I were to purchase a new unit - clearly MPEG4 options will be out by then, and I'm hoping that with a lease I'll have better options if the unit breaks and when mpeg-4 comes out.
I just want dual-tuner HDTV DVR...this seems like an easier option than any other path at the moment. We'll see.
I've always "owned" Dish equipment...but in this case makes more sense for me to lease if I want HDTV. I'll sell my 721 and 811 on eBay, and pay the $10/month for the DVR and lease fee... it would take, in my case, something like 80 months to just break even if I were to purchase a new unit - clearly MPEG4 options will be out by then, and I'm hoping that with a lease I'll have better options if the unit breaks and when mpeg-4 comes out.
I just want dual-tuner HDTV DVR...this seems like an easier option than any other path at the moment. We'll see.
luckycat said:
You'll be much happier with the 942 compared to the 811/721 set-up you have now. Enjoy!
Blizz said:
I agree. Also add in length of time as a customer and having satisfied the initial commitment and thus being a candidate to leave for greener pastures. Also, I suspect that some of us were aided by using a calm and polite approach as opposed to pounding on the table.
SaltiDawg said:I agree. Also add in length of time as a customer and having satisfied the initial commitment and thus being a candidate to leave for greener pastures. Also, I suspect that some of us were aided by using a calm and polite approach as opposed to pounding on the table.
Yes I'm always very courteous when talking to Dish folks... in our case we've been a customer for 5 years, obviously satisfied initial commitments. Always paid our bills on time which have been bet 80-100 (depending on programming at the time). I'm sure they have a formula to see how much profit they have made off of each subscriber, taking into account eating hardware costs, etc., and projections of future profits. Who knows.. but this is the 2nd time getting a deal from ceo@dishnetwork, if it works out - first was a 721 for I think $149 a year ago or maybe two.
Update - I have my 942 install scheduled. The rep @ ceo@dishnetwork.com said that subscription to the HD Pack is "required" on the 942, "because it is a HD receiver".. I asked if it was possible to get a deal on HD Pack, the best they could offer is 1/2 off for 6 months..so I took that. Was going to get HD P anyway, I'll probably add the VOOM channels as well.
Curious though we now have 2 receivers on our account. I called today the normal dish support line to drop our one of our receivers - they said it was the "primary" receiver and couldn't cancel it until we got the 942 installed! I asked several times why, no good explanation offered except they could not do it, but the installer would deactivate the old one and activate the new one during 942 installation. I want to sell our old receiver on eBay..I'm thinking they might come out and try to take my old receiver (I own)... So now I'm thinking I'll just keep my current receivers on-line, at least for now.
Ever hear of anything like this?
Curious though we now have 2 receivers on our account. I called today the normal dish support line to drop our one of our receivers - they said it was the "primary" receiver and couldn't cancel it until we got the 942 installed! I asked several times why, no good explanation offered except they could not do it, but the installer would deactivate the old one and activate the new one during 942 installation. I want to sell our old receiver on eBay..I'm thinking they might come out and try to take my old receiver (I own)... So now I'm thinking I'll just keep my current receivers on-line, at least for now.
Ever hear of anything like this?
It seems to me that with the info from the 11/14 Technical Chat, that there is reason to go ahead and lease a 942 without waiting for the 962. My reasons:
A) MPEG-4 is not on the immediate horizon.
B) For now 8PSK-Turbo is more efficient and the 811, 921, and 942 are all software upgradable to this protocol.
C) It could well be 12-18 months before there is any chance of MPEG-4. Probably even longer until one would need a receiver that can decode MPEG-4 to get all HD channels.
The 962 could be released well before MPEG-4 is needed. That would be a wise move for E* because every 962 that is placed is one more 942 that won't need replaced.
Perhaps the 962 will come out in 6 months and people picking up a 942 now will be crying in their beer. But there is a chance that the 942 will be all there is for a year, that it will have USB support soon, and it may be perfectly sufficient to get all HD channels for a couple of years.
I say that if one can get 18-24 months out of a 942, then that is worth a $250 upfront lease charge, even if you get no credit for trading it in 2 years.
I'll now add D) It is highly unlikely that E* will offer a low-cost lease option on the 962 to existing subs within the next year or longer, even if that box is released in 6 months.
A) MPEG-4 is not on the immediate horizon.
B) For now 8PSK-Turbo is more efficient and the 811, 921, and 942 are all software upgradable to this protocol.
C) It could well be 12-18 months before there is any chance of MPEG-4. Probably even longer until one would need a receiver that can decode MPEG-4 to get all HD channels.
The 962 could be released well before MPEG-4 is needed. That would be a wise move for E* because every 962 that is placed is one more 942 that won't need replaced.
Perhaps the 962 will come out in 6 months and people picking up a 942 now will be crying in their beer. But there is a chance that the 942 will be all there is for a year, that it will have USB support soon, and it may be perfectly sufficient to get all HD channels for a couple of years.
I say that if one can get 18-24 months out of a 942, then that is worth a $250 upfront lease charge, even if you get no credit for trading it in 2 years.
I'll now add D) It is highly unlikely that E* will offer a low-cost lease option on the 962 to existing subs within the next year or longer, even if that box is released in 6 months.
Tom Bombadil said:
Yep I agree completely... the recent tech chat, and talk of 8PSK-Turbo, seems to breath more life into existing MPEG-2 receivers. I am fairly confident for at least a year, if not two, I will be happy with the 942 lease and content provided.
Contacted E* and they agreed to lease me a 942 for a very sweet price, which I agreed to not disclose. A better than "normal" deal because I am exchanging an 811 that I haven't had for very long.
So look for the 962 to now be announced shortly after Thanksgiving
So look for the 962 to now be announced shortly after Thanksgiving
After the Tech chat, I too am contemplating leasing the 942. I just checked the Ebay selling prices for the 811, and the $250 lease fee is not too far away from the prices I saw.
My big problem would be signing into a 1 or 2 year contract. I want LiL HD due to the OTA reception problems I have (60 miles from Atlanta and Stone Mountain in my line of site to the towers = BAD reception 99% of the time). I have seen on two instances on two websites that D* will begin transmitting Atl HD locals on 11/22, and my crappy cable company (who happens to be the only phone company as well, Alltel) keeps delaying their introduction of HD and said it will now be Jan '06 with only ABC and CBS confirmed as HD. Without knowing what E* is planning for HD LiL makes me hesitant in even going into a contract right now. I have a neighbor that has D* and is able to get all 4 major networks in HD from New York...so if E* ever offers them I have a chance (I get CBS HD now).
Are the 1 or 2 year contracts required? Or by some miracle is there a way out of that? For comparisons, I have been with E* for over 6 years, AT60 +HD +Voom +CBS HD. Bought all my equipment in the past...5000 (8/99), 7100(8/99), 811(12/03).
Thanks for your help!
Anthony
My big problem would be signing into a 1 or 2 year contract. I want LiL HD due to the OTA reception problems I have (60 miles from Atlanta and Stone Mountain in my line of site to the towers = BAD reception 99% of the time). I have seen on two instances on two websites that D* will begin transmitting Atl HD locals on 11/22, and my crappy cable company (who happens to be the only phone company as well, Alltel) keeps delaying their introduction of HD and said it will now be Jan '06 with only ABC and CBS confirmed as HD. Without knowing what E* is planning for HD LiL makes me hesitant in even going into a contract right now. I have a neighbor that has D* and is able to get all 4 major networks in HD from New York...so if E* ever offers them I have a chance (I get CBS HD now).
Are the 1 or 2 year contracts required? Or by some miracle is there a way out of that? For comparisons, I have been with E* for over 6 years, AT60 +HD +Voom +CBS HD. Bought all my equipment in the past...5000 (8/99), 7100(8/99), 811(12/03).
Thanks for your help!
Anthony
luckycat...back when mine was shipped, I emailed them and they sent me the tracking number. Mine wasn't shipped for 2-3 days after I accepted the deal, IIRC.
I was back in the first wave of the lease "exceptions". No contract for me, though I've heard of them requiring it of some folks. I dont think anyone has figured out the criteria of the ones given the lease offer and the ones turned down...perhaps it's just their mood when you are talking to them! LOL Time with E*, service level, etc seem all across the board on both sides that you see in the posts.
I was back in the first wave of the lease "exceptions". No contract for me, though I've heard of them requiring it of some folks. I dont think anyone has figured out the criteria of the ones given the lease offer and the ones turned down...perhaps it's just their mood when you are talking to them! LOL Time with E*, service level, etc seem all across the board on both sides that you see in the posts.
It took three days to receive the 942. It came 1 hour before the dish guy showed up to install. I was replacing a 811 and eliminating a 532. I told the installer how the cables were routed and suggested he run a new cable to where the 532 was and it would be a simple install. He said he did not have to run the new cable , that he could run both sat. and ota signal through one cable. Somehow he installed three splitters and got things running. I scanned for locals and it seemed all were being picked up. However, after he left and I started to play with the 942 my locals were only coming in at about 75% and the signal was breaking up. After calling local office, no reply, and then Dish cs, I got a guy to come back the next day. He ran a new cable, put the antenna lines back as they were and my locals are all in the 90% range and everything is good. Btw I got my lease with no contract.
I'm in such an indecisive mode right now! D* announces that Atlanta HD locals are to be turned on by the end of this month, but no HD DVR til Spring (there is a thread saying that they may offer their HD DVR with no up front $ and maybe have a lease2own deal to boot).
My neighbor who gets Alltel cable said he received a notice this week that their channel lineup is changing soon to make room for HD and that there are a lot of HD channels that will be available. No idea if a HD DVR will be available.
E* announces the 811 is being discontinued and replaced by the 211/411. If I want to upgrade to the 942, I better do it soon before the price of the 811 drops on Ebay. I refuse to pay $250 for the priviledge to lease unless I make that money back from the sell of the 811.
Guess I will try my luck. Hope I get an offer to lease the 942, and I hope it comes without a contract!
My neighbor who gets Alltel cable said he received a notice this week that their channel lineup is changing soon to make room for HD and that there are a lot of HD channels that will be available. No idea if a HD DVR will be available.
E* announces the 811 is being discontinued and replaced by the 211/411. If I want to upgrade to the 942, I better do it soon before the price of the 811 drops on Ebay. I refuse to pay $250 for the priviledge to lease unless I make that money back from the sell of the 811.
Guess I will try my luck. Hope I get an offer to lease the 942, and I hope it comes without a contract!
I also wrote a letter and received a call to offer the lease option, which I glady accepted. Will be replacing my 811, which is also being leased. Since I have 4 receivers, and still using legacy lnbf and sw64, I was told they'll upgrade me to Dish Pro equipment at no charge. Nice! I assume they'll be upgrading my Dish500 and 61.5 to DishPro lnbf, replacing my switch with a DPP44 and installing a seperator?
luckycat said:
As I recall, it was about 5-7 days. Got my D1000 today and Voom channels. I'm quite pleased.
